Stake pocket



J. J. TATUM S'I'AKE POCKET Oct. 6, 1931.

J. J. TATUM STAKE POCKET Filed Oct. 5. 1929 s sheets-snaai 2 J. J. TATUM STAKE POCKET Oct. 6, 1931;

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed 0013. 5. 1929 gru/vant@ abbo/umu Patented oci. 6, 1931 y n l LSZSSZ UNITED STATES PATET JOI-IN J. TATUM, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND STAKE POCKET Application led October 5, 17929. Serial No. 397,654

In railroad cars the stake pockets which wall at their lower ends by rivets or bolts are most commonly used are rigid; that is to 14. The. upper end portions of the brackets say, they are, as a rule, made of metal bars are provided with enlarged or elongated bent in substantially U shaped form and bolt, or rivet openings 15, adapted to rebolted or riveted to the car, and constitute a ceive the rivets or bolts 16. It will be noted rigid projection within the car which is obthat the dist-ance between the heads of the jectionable in that they present obstructions rivet 16 is greater than the combined thickin loading a car when the stakes are not in ness of the car wall 11 and bracket 12 so use, and it frequently happens that in loadthat, as shown in Figure 3, there is a clearing the car with heavy lading pieces of lading ance between the rivet head and the upper strike these pockets and distort them to such end portion of the bracket which permits of an extent that it is impossible to place a stake the upper end of the bracket being sprung in them. outward from the car wall and the upper The primary object of my invention is to wall of the bearing being sprung afgreater provide a folding stake pocket that will give distance away from the lower wall thereof, .es a maximum of eiiiciency, and amaximum of to permit expansion and subsequent conclearance in the car 0n which it is used. A traction of the bearing, as will be hereinafter yfurther object of my invention is to provide more yfully explained. v a folding stake pocket of 'such construction The upper armrof the keeper or bearing 13 '20 that the liability to damage it by lading is is provided with an offset or shoulder 17. It 5o reduced to a minimum, and with these and will be noted that the vertical dimension of other objects in view my invention consists the bearing is less than the width of the trunof the parts and combination of parts as nion of the loop, as will be hereinafter eX- hereinafterrpointed out. plained.

In the drawings: The stake holding loop 18 is in this em- #z5 Figure 1 is a' front elevation of my imbodiment, preferably, made of flat metal and proved stake holder attached to a car wall its trunnions 19, 20, are rectangular in cross with the loop up in operative position. section and of less width than the balancev Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1. of the loop. In this connection it will be Figure 3 is a side elevation of Figure 1. noted from Figure 3 that the vertical di- D Figure 4 is a detail view of another emmension of the bearing 13 is slightly less bodiment of my invention. than the width of the trunnions 19, 20, except VFigure 5 is a front elevation of another immediately adjacent the car side,where it embodiment of my invention. is slightly more, which results in the forma- Figure 6 is a top plan view of Figure 5. tion of the shoulder 17.

Figure 7 is'an end elevation of Figure 5. As the loop 18 is raised to the full line Figure 8 is a front elevation of Vanother position shown in Figures 1 and 3 to receive embodiment of my invention. the stake 21, in which position it stands out- Figure 9 is a top plan view of Figure 8. wardly from the car wall, the trunnions v19 Figure 10 is a side elevation of Figure 8. and 20 fulcruming on the lower wall of the 3J Referring now to Figures 1 to 3, the referbearing 13 move the upper wall of the bearence numeral 11 designates the car wall, ing with the upper end portion of the brackets and this numeral will be used in all ofthe (which action is permitted by the enlarged iigures of the drawings to designatethe car bolt opening 15) and continued upward movewall. ment of the loop rotates the trunnions back 95 My improved stake pocket or holder comyof the shoulders 17 which hold the loops in prises two side brackets 12 provided interoperative position to receive the stake 21. mediate their ends with a substantially UA 1n the event that the loops are left in eleshaped bearing or keeper 13. These brackets vated position, after the stake has been rei@ are designed to be rigidly secured to the carV moved, it will not be dama-ged by lading fallum ing on it, because a blow or weight on the loop will result in it moving on its trunnions and folding against the car wall.

Referring to Figure it will be seen that I provide the bearing 13o of the bracket with a recess or scat Q2, adapted to receive and lock the trunnions ot the loop 18o and hold the loop in elevated position. This form ot bracket may be used when desired in place of that shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, or the seat 22 may be added t0 the bracket shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The embodiment shown in Figures 5 to 7 comprises the stake loop 18?) having its tree ends 23 and 24 turned outward to form trunnions which are lnounted tor rotation in the brackets 25, 26, secured to the car wall. In this embodiment and in all embodiments ot my invention the stake loop is mede flat to give a broad extended bearing surface tor the stake, thus reducing wear on the stake.

In Figures 5 to 7 the trunnions Q3 and 2 are substantially square in cross section as shown in Figure 7 with its corners slightly rounded. The brackets 25 and are secured at their lower ends to the car by suitable means 26a, While the upper end ot these brackets are held to the car by means of the rivets or bolts 26?), said upper end portions being provided with elongated slots 2Go, through which the rivets 2% pass. The brackets are provided with bearings 30 in which the trunnions and Q4 are journalled. The rectangular cross section of the journals 23 and 24 function to hold the loop 23e either in its adjusted up or down position. and in order to permit the brackets to flex when the journals are turned in their bearings I provide the elongated slot 2Go which permits the upper end portion of the brackets to slide or spring relatively to the rivet 2G21, as will be understood.

In Figures 8, 9, l()` I have shown another embodiment of Inv invention. In these tigures the bracke's @il are provided with he trunnion bearings 3,4` the inner edges of which are provided each with a notch terminating at its lower end in a cam tace 3G. The loop 37 has the trrnnions 3S, and the side arms of the loop are oi greater diameter at their inner end portions as at 39. The side arms of the loop 3i' are under a spring tension when the loop is mounted in the brackets, so that when it is raised to receive the stake the enlarged portions 39 si ing into the recesses or notches thus holding the loop in elevated position.

As the loop is raised or lowered the portion 39 is guided to and trom the notcl "l" by the cam face 36. so that in lowered. p tion the portions 39 are forced in close frictional coutact with the inner edges ot .ie brackets and. the loop held against accidental movement.

As will be seen from the several embodiments of my invention there is a spring retention action between the brackets and the loops whereby the loops are firmly held in adjusted positions. It, per chance the stake is rcmoved from the loop and the operator fails to fold the loop down against the car side there is no danger ot the loop becoming distorted because it lading is loaded on the car, while the loop is up and Without a stake in it, and the lading strikes the loop the loop will on such impact swing on its trunnion and told against the side of the car.

That I claim is l. In a folding stake pocket, brackets, bearings on said brackets, a stake holding loop having trunnions mounted in said bearings and normally held against rotation therein, and a yieldable connection between the bearings and car yieldable under pressure ot the trunnions, whereby the loop is allowed to turn for movement to a itolded position.

Q. In a folding stake pocket, supporting brackets and a stake loop mounted on saidV l irackets, said loop embodying a part under spring tension and engaging a bracket to support the loop in an adjusted position,

3. A stake pocket comprising a bar having trunnions of rectangular cross-section pivot-ally mounted in yielding bearings on the side oit a vehicle. f

4. A stake pocket comprising a bar having trunnions of rectangular cross-section rotatably mounted in yielding bearings on the side wall of a vehicle.

A stake Vpocket comprising bearings at the sides of the pocket adapted to be secured to the wall ot a car`r said bearings having resilient portions. and a stake holding element provided with trunuions rotatably engaging the bearings and normally held frictionally thereby to retain thc element in an active position, said trunnions being operative to act on said resilient portions to decrease their trictional hold on the trunnions under a predetermined pressure on the element to permit the latter to turn to an inactive position.

6, A stake pocket comprising bearings at each side ot the pocket adapted to be secured to the walls oit a car. and a stake holdingr elenient having trunnions engaging the bearings at least one ot the bearings having a resilient portion and the coacting trunnion having a surface for engagement therewith to normally hold the element'in an active position, the said surface of the trunnion being operative on the application ot predetermined. pressure to the element to move said resilient bearing port-ion to release the clement to permit the same to move to an inactive position.

7. A stake pocket comprising bearings at each side ot the pocket adapted to he secured to the wall of a car, and a U-shaped stake 'holding element having its arms provided with trunnions rotatably engaging said bearings, the bearings and element having surfaces resiliently engaged to normally hold the element in an active position and adapted under a predetermined pressure upon the element to reduce the frictional engagement and thereby permit the element to move to an inactive position.

8. A stake pocket comprising bearings at each side of the pocket adapted to be secured to the wall of a car, and a U-shaped stake holding member having its arms provided with trunnions rotatably engaging the bearings, said element being rotatable in a vertical plane on the bearings and held against lateral motion thereby, the bearings having resilient surfaces for frictional engagement with the element whereby to hold the element in an active posit-ion and operable on a predetermined pressure on the element to reduce the frictional engagement and permit said element to move to an inactive position.

9. In a stake pocket, the combination with a car wall, of bearings on the car wall, and a stake holding element having trunnions mounted inthe bearings and frictionally engaged therewith to hold the stake holding element in an adjusted position and against rotation, said bearings being connected with the wall for yielding movement to reduce the friction on the trunnions and thereby permit the stake holding element to be rotated.

10. A stake pocket comprising bearings at each side of the pocket7 and a stake holding element rotatably engaging said bearings and held under spring pressure thereon in active position and adapted under a. pressure greater than such spring pressure to swing to an inactive position.

l1. In a collapsible stake pocket, the combination, with a vehicle, of a bearing at each side of the pocket secured to a wall of the vehicle so as to permit expansion and contraction of said bearing, and a stake holding element having trunnions rotatable in the bearings and normally held in an adjusted position in a contracted condition of the bearings, said bearings being adapted to expand under pressure of the trunnions in a rotary motion of the latter to permit said trunnions to have such motion.

12. In a collapsible stake pocket, bearings at the sides of the pocket, and a stake holding element having trunnions rotatable in the bearings, said bearings normally resisting rotary motion of the trunnions and being eX- pansible under a predetermined pressure of the bearings to permit of such motion thereof.

13. In a collapsible stake pocket, the combination, with a car, of brackets provided ith bearings, said brackets being fiXedly secured at their lower ends to the wall and loosely secured at their upper ends to the wall to permit the upper portions of the bearings to have spreading motion relative to the lower portions thereof, and a U-shaped stake retaining element having its arms provided with trunnions engaging said bearings, said trunnions being formed to be frictionally held by the bearings to retain the element in active position and adapted, Linder a predetermined pressure on the bearings, to spread the bea-rings to permit the element to swing to an inactive position.

14. In a. collapsible stake pocket, the combination, with a car, of brackets provided with bearings, said brackets being fixedly secured at their lower ends to the wall and loosely secured at their upper ends to the wall to permit the upper portions of the bearings to have spreading motion relative to the lower portions thereof, and a U-shaped stake retaining element having its arms provided with trunnions rotatably engaging said bea-rings, said trunnions being of angular shape in cross-section and normally adapted for frictional engagement with t-he bearings to hold the element in an active position and operative, under a predetermined pressure on the element, to spread the bearings to permit said element to swing` to an inactive position.

15. In a collapsible stake pocket, the combination, with a car, of brackets provided with bearings, said bracket-s being lixedly secured at their lower ends to the wall and loosely secured at their upper ends to the wall to permit the upper portions of the bearings to have spreading motion relative to the lower portions thereof, and each bearing having an oflsetportion forming a keeper recess, and a U-shaped stake holding element having its arms provided with trunnions rotatably engaging the bearings, said trunnions being formed for interlocking engagement with the keeper recesses to hold the element in an active position and adapted, under a prede-- termined pressure on the element, to spread the bearings and release the element and permit said element to swing to an inactive position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN J. TATUM.

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